Crate



Jan. 6, 1959 A. wHlToN ETAL CRATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1955 M .Evrenfflrs n 4327/02 Mv/rmv' AZ Bum d 3/58 HZ?" s. 5

United grates CRATE Arthur L. Whiton, Evanston, and Ralph J. Byers, Des

Plaines, Ili., assignors to Chicago Mill & Lumber Company, Qhicago, ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 25, 1955, Serial No. 524,037

3 Claims. (c1. 229-14 This invention relates to a shipping container or the like which provides tremendous stacking and crushing strength while also afiording complete protection against the ingress of dirt or debris. Specifically, this invention relates to a shipping and storage crate for washing machines, dryers, combination washer-dryer machines, or the like heavy and bulky cabinet structures wherein it is desired only to attach the base of the structure to the crate. According to the invention, the crate is composed of wood and corrugated paper board, with wooden components arranged to provide maximum strength with a minimum amount of material.

Although the invention will be hereinafter specifically described as embodied in a crate for combination Washerdryer machines, it should be understood that the crate of this invention is not limited to usage for packaging any particular types of goods since the principles of this invention are generally applicable to containers or packages for any use.

I-Ieretofore, wood reinforced corrugated board shipping crates have had the wood reinforcing cleats or slats of rectangular cross section. It has been observed that stresses incurred in the stacking and handling of such crates tend to reveal that the crate cannot withstand equal forces from all sides. In other words, due to the irregular cross section of the cleats, some of the sides can withstand greater forces in handling than other sides. Moreover, in the past, the cleats'have been rigidly fastened to the crate side walls. Due to the stresses subjected to the cleats relative to the crate body, the fasteners of the cleats have tended to tear away from the crate body thereby weakening the entire structure.

Inasmuch as it has been heretofore a prime objective in the development of crates to design a crate assembly which will nearly be completely assembled, but capable of being compactly folded for. facilitating shipment, it has not been possible to develop a square crate, since vertical cleats cause binding at two corners while interfering with another at the center.

The present invention now provides a cleated corrugated board crate which places the corrugated board under tension when the crate is loaded and which does not require packing or any inserts to maintain the crate components in spaced relation from the packaged goods, and which is indeed very simple to manufacture and assemble.

In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, a combination washer-dryer machine to be packaged has its bottom bolted or otherwise secured to an open platform skid. The skid is rectangular in shape and comprises three equally spaced parallel wooden slats secured at their ends to the ends of another pair of spaced overlying wooden slats, the latter pair of slats being in transverse relation to the other slats. The upper pair of slats is suitably apertured for bolting to a machine and notched at its upper corners for receiving cleats of an upright tubular member. The cleats are, of course, supported by the underlying outside slats. The tubular member is 2,8613% Patented Jan. 6, 1959 a four sided wrap-around corrugated board member having four substantially square vertical or upright wooden cleats received in pockets formed on the inside of the member at the corner forming portions thereof. An overlying rigidifying member, similar in structure to the platform skid, except for the absence of apertures for securing a machine thereto, is provided to be received slightly within the confines of the tubular member at the upper end thereof and rests on the cleats. Closing flaps are provided at the top and bottom ends of the tubular member to close over the upper rigidifying member and the platform skid and provide a dust-proof assembly. The pockets in the corner forming portions of the tubular member are formed by suitably securing an elongated strip of corrugated board, properly scored, to define with the corner forming portions of the tubular body member a substantially square pocket.

The cleats are all disposed inside the corrugated board body, and when the crate is handled, as in stacking, the wooden components, including the upper rigidifying member and the platform skid form a rigid skeleton reinforced by the paper board and without subjecting the machine to any load.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cleated shipping container which provides the goods packed therein with a dust-proof seal and which relieves all stresses from the corrugated board during the normal loads imposed upon a crate while utilizing the tensile strength of the corrugated board to assist the cleats in supporting abnormal loads without transmitting any of the loads to the goods themselves.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shipping and storage crate for cabinet structures which in its unassembled form is quite compact and light in weight for low cost shipping to an assembly station.

Another object of this invention is in the provision of v a shipping and storage crate for cabinet structures which may be economically constructed, and which may be simply and easily assembled.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a shipping and storage crate for cabinet structures, wherein the crate is composed of a tubular body member of substantially square configuration for accommodating substantially square cabinet structures.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provision of a shipping and storage crate for cabinet structures comprising a pair of substantially square slatted members, one of which functions as a platform skid, and a cleated tubular member, wherein the tubular member is capable of withstanding equal lateral forces from any side thereof.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the attached sheets of drawings, which, by way of a single preferred embodiment, illustrates the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an assembled crateaccording to the invention; 7

Figure .2 is an inside plan view of the tubular body member in its unassembled form illustrating the side Walls and the pocket forming members on the inner wall;

Figure 3 is an enlarged end elevational view of the tubular member in its folded and assembled form ready for shipment;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View, with some parts in elevation, taken substantially along lines IVIV of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transversesectional view, taken substantially along lines VV of Figure 1, but showing the cabinet structure in top plan view;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the upper rigidifying 3 member which underlies the top closed end of the crate;

Figure 7 is an enlarged broken fragmentary sectional view taken through one side of the crate, and illustrating the manner in which the cleats of the tubular member engage the :platform skid and the upper rigidifying member; and

Figure 8 is atop plan view of the platform skid utilized with the crate assembly.

Asshown on the drawings:

The crate of the present invention includes generally a rectangular tubular body member 10, a platform skid 1'1, and an upper rigidifying member 12.

As shown in Figure 2, the body member 10 is composed of a single flat rectangular sheet 13 of corrugated board'of the type conventionally used for shipping containers. The sheet 13 has vertical score or fold lines 14 at spaced parallel intervals to provide a side wall 15, a 'front'wall 16, a second side -wall 17, and a rear wall 18. A line of fold '19 extends along the outer edge of the rear wall 18' to define outwardly therefrom an end flap 20. Itis to beunderstood that the walls 15, 16, 17 and 18 are substantially equal in size, and therefore may be interchangeably termed front walls, side walls, or rear walls. The top and bottom edges of the sheet 13 are slotted at 21 at the ends of the vertical score lines 14 to provide end closing flaps 22 at the top and bottom ends of each of the wall portions 15, 16, 17 and 18. Score lines 23 extend across the inner ends of the flaps to allow the flaps to be folded therealong.

As seen in Figure 2, for each inside corner .of the wrap-around tubular member 10, an elongated pocket forming member 24 is provided. Three parallel spaced foldlor score lines are longitudinally positioned on each pocket forming member 24, which divide the member intofour elongated panels 26. For a purpose presently to be explained, the center fold or score line of members 24 is applied to the opposite or reverse side of members 24. The two outside panels 26 are secured to adjacent Wall portions of the tubular member at equally spaced distances from the apex of the adjacent corner, as seen most clearly in Figure 5, to form substantially square elongated pockets. Suitable fastening means such as staples, stitching, adhesive bonds or the like unite the pocket forming members 24 to the walls of the tubular member. An elongated substantially square wooden cleat 27 is provided for each pocket formed at the corner forming portions of the tubular member, wherein the cleat is slidably received within the pocket. In this manner, the cleats 27 are not in any way rigidly fastened to the corrugated board tubular member 10, and therefore any fastening means holding the cleats to the corrugated board will not'tend to tear the board and weaken the crate structure. The wooden cleats 27 are substantially square in cross section, and thereby are able to withstand lateral loading of substantially equal force in any direction.

As seen in Figures 4 and 7, the pocket forming members 24 terminate inwardly at each end from the score lines 23, a distance equal to the thickness of the platform skid 11 or rigidifying member 12. It is noted that the thickness of the platform skid 11 and the rigidifying member 12 is substantially equal. The length of the cleats 27 is equal to the distance between the fold lines 23 minus the thickness of the platform member 11 or the rigidifying member 12 or twice the one-half thickness of each member.

In its assembled and folded form, ready for shipment, the tubular body member 10 appears as shown in Figure 3, wherein the end flap 2i) overlaps the free edge of the side wall and is secured thereto by any suitable means such as fasteners a as indicated in Figure 1. Additional score lines 14a are provided on the Wall portions (as seen in Figure 2) which define therebetween end forming portions 14b when the tubular body member is in folded position as shown in Figure 3. It is readily seen that the tubular member when in folded position decreases the storage requirements and in assembling will shorten the time of assembly of the crate. As also seen in Figure 3, the pocket forming members 24 adjacent the end forming portions 14]) take the form of an accordion pleat, while the pocket forming members 24 connected to the walls 16 and 17, and 15 and 18, respectively, lie flat thereto.

As shown in Figure 8, the platform skid 11 comprises three parallel spaced wooden slats 28. Secured at the ends of the slats 28 and in superimposed transverse relation is a pair of upper wooden slats 29, 29. The upper slats 29 are suitably apertured at 34) to receive bolts for fastening the skid to the bottom of a combination washerdryer machine or the like. Hence, it is seen that a rectangular platform skid is formed. The upper slats 29 are notched at the outermost corners, as indicated at 31 for receiving in position the lower end of the cleats 27. When the cleats 27 are received in the notches 31 of the upper slats 29, their ends are supported on the upper faces of the lower outside slats 28. It is noted that the slats 28 and 29 are of the same thickness, Width and length, thereby materially decreasing the cost of manufacture of the platform skid.

The upper rigidifying member 12 is substantially identical with the platform skid 11, except for the absence of the bolt receiving apertures 31) in the upper slats 29. The upper rigidifying member 12 is, however, inverted with respect to the platform skid 11, and comprises three parallel spaced upper slats 32. A pair of parallel spaced underlying slats 33, 33 is suitably secured at the ends to the ends of the slats 32. The underlying slats 33 are likewise notched at the outer corners, as indicated by the numeral 34 for receiving in position the upper ends of the cleats 27.. When the cleats are received in the notches 34 of the underlying slats 33, the rigidifying member 12 is supported on the cleats with the under face of the outside slats 32 engaging the upper ends of the cleats 27.

It may be noted that the slats 32 and 33 of the upper rigidifying member 12 are of the same thickness, length, and width, as well as being substantially identical with the slats 28 and 29 of the platform skid 11. The only difference between the platform skid 11 and the upper rigidifying member 12, is that the former is provided Withbolt receiving apertures in the cross slats 29. Thus, it is readily seen that the cost of manufacture is considerably lessened by the standardization of the several parts in the crate of the present invention. platform skid could be easily used as an upper rigidifying member with equal facility without sacrificing any strength or rigidity of the assembled crate.

In assembly of the invention and packaging of a cabinet structure, a cabinet structure is bolted to the platform skid 11. The wrap-around tubular member 10, as shown in Figure 3, is unfolded to define a substantially square shape, wherein the pocket forming members 24 will generally assume the position as shown in Figure 5. The cleats 27 are then inserted in the pockets and the tubular member is lowered over the cabinet structure until the cleats 27 seat in the notches 31 of the platform skid 11', as seen in Figure 7. The upper rigidifying member 12 is then inserted within the confines of the wall portions of the tubular member so that the cleats 27 are received in the notches 34, from whence the upper rigidifying member 12 is supported on the upper ends of the cleats 27. The closing flaps 22 at each end of the tubular member 14 are then folded over the platform skid 11 at the end and the rigidifying member 12 at the other end. In folding the closing flaps 22, the flaps extending from the front wall and the rear wall are folded inwardly, and then the flaps from the side walls are folded in overlapping relationship and suitably fastened, such as by staples, stitching, and adhesive bond or the like to form a dustproof container.

If necessary, a

It may be noted that the flaps 22 are substantially half the width of the square tubular member so that the free edges either abut or almost abut each other. As seen in Figure 5, a cabinet structure 35 does not contact any part of the upright tubular member 10. Inasmuch as the pocket forming members 24 are of corrugated board, and since they cover the cleats 27, they automatically provide added protection against allowing the wooden cleats to rub or scratch the outside surface of the cabinet structure 35.

The abutment afforded by the notches for the cleats provides thrust resisting stops which reinforce the cleats to create a framework which is extremely rigid and capable of supporting great loads. At the same time, however, the combination washer-dryer machine 35 is spaced both from the framework and the surrounding enclosure afforded by the corrugated paper tube and the top and bottom members. Thus, no damage of the washing machine due to rub action between the crate and the machine can occur. And the machine is rigidly cradled inside and yet has contact with only the portions of the crate adjacent its bottom.

In stacking loaded crates of this invention, any tendency for the crates to deflect under load will be resisted by the tensile strength of the corrugated paper, since the framework would tend to bow outwardly and thereby place the surrounding tube in tension.

From the above description, it will be evident that this invention now provides a simplified, inexpensive light weight shipping carton or crate having a rigid wooden framework, wherein several parts are identical in size and shape to enable inexpensive manufacture thereof.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention, but it is understood that this application is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A crate for packaging a cabinet structure wherein only the bottom of the cabinet structure is joined with the crate which comprises a substantially square hollow body member of corrugated board defining a space to receive said structure, said body member comprising closing flaps at each end thereof, an open rigid bottom platform overlying the bottom closing flaps and adapted to be secured to the base of the cabinet structure, and an open rigid slatted member underlying the closed flaps at the upper end of the body member, a vertically disposed angularly-shaped member secured to adjacent sides of the body member at each corner forming portion thereof to define therewith an elongated and substantially square pocket, and a substantially square cleat freely received within each pocket hearing at its bottom end against the platform skid, and at its upper end against the slatted member.

2. A crate for packaging an article comprising, in combination: a platform skid for securing the base of the article thereto; a square imperforate collapsible tubular member for surrounding the article, said member having flaps at each end thereof; a single vertically extending angularly shaped member at each inner corner of said tubular member and secured thereto to jointly define a pocket at each inner corner; a cleat received in each pocket and resting on said skid; and a slatted member resting on the upper end of each cleat to load it in longitudinal compression; said flaps coacting with said skid, said cleats, and said slatted member to retain them in engagement.

3. A crate for packaging an article wherein only the bottom of the article is joined to the crate comprising, in combination: a hollow paper-board body member defining a space to receive said article, said body member having flaps at each end thereof; a rigid bottom platform overlying the closed bottom flaps for attachment to the bottom of the article; a rigid top member underlying the closed flaps at the upper end of the body member; avertically disposed angularly-shaped member secured to adjacent sides of the body member at each corner-forming portion thereof to define therewith an elongated pocket; and a cleat freely received within each of said pockets, said cleat bearing at its bottom end against the platform and at its upper end against the top member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

